JAN 14 -- Lafayette, Louisiana...Monique Roberts, 29, of Scott, Louisiana, was convicted by a federal jury yesterday of maintaining a drug involved premises following a two-day trial and only ten minutes of jury deliberation, United States Attorney Donald W. Washington announced. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

Roberts was one of three defendants named in a 6-count superseding indictment returned by the federal grand jury on March 11, 2009. Roberts was charged in count 6 of the indictment, which charged her with maintaining a drug involved premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856. Two co-defendants, Roderick Aaron and Brandon Anders, previously plead guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Aaron and Anders each face 10 years to life imprisonment. A sentencing date has not been set.

The federal indictment was returned as a result of agents of the Lafayette Metro Narcotics Task Force executing a search warrant on Roberts’ residence on January 18, 2006. During the search of her residence, officers recovered approximately 873 grams of cocaine powder, cocaine base, a Bryco .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, $7,485 in U.S. currency, and various items used in the manufacturing of cocaine powder into cocaine base.

According to trial testimony, Roberts’ residence was used for approximately twelve (12) months to manufacture, store and distribute between 10 to 15 kilograms of cocaine and cocaine base.

ROBERTS faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both, and a period of up to 3 years of supervised release upon her release from prison. Sentencing in federal court is determined by the discretion of federal judges and the governing statute. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.

This case was investigated by agents of the Lafayette Metro Narcotics Task Force and Task Force Agents Clinton Darden and Vernon Jones of the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Collin Sims and Daniel J. McCoy.